An assembly such as that defined above prevents any detachment of the clutch release bearing from the connecting piece, and reduces wear in connection with the coupling member. This assembly is disclosed in the specification of U.S. Pat. No. 4,667,800 and the corresponding French published patent application FR 2 544 035A, in which a corrugated retaining spring is incorporated in a prefitted sub-assembly consisting of the connecting piece and the declutching means of the clutch.
When this sub-assembly is engaged radially with the exterior of the actuating element, this arrangement makes it necessary to modify the connecting piece. In practice this involves either the modification of the sleeve portion of the connecting piece, so that the latter then has a plurality of axial lugs, formed with a groove in which the retaining spring can be engaged, or the addition of a support collar to the connecting piece for carrying axial lugs which are formed for this purpose from place to place around the perimeter of the retaining spring.
This last mentioned arrangement is particularly disadvantageous, because it results in the connecting piece being weakened. In addition, the retaining spring is unable to be made as large in the radial dimension as is desirable.